Refrigerator



Jan, 23, E945 c. HQNAUERT REFRIGERATOR Filed July 18, 1940 "IH I I, INVENTOR MMM l Patented Jan; 23, 1945 REFRIGERATOR Carl H. Nauert, Evansville, Ind., assigner to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y

awake .,-a corporation of Delapplication July 1s, 1940, serial No. 346,1'26

1 claim. (ci. 22o-9) This invention relates to refrigerator cabinet wall Structure having spaced metal panels connected by insulating strips, and it is an object of the invention to provide a trim strip of uniform cross-section for manufacture by the plastic extrusion process and having fastening means concealed from view as set forth in the following description and accompanying drawing, inv which:

Fig. l is a perspective of a household refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention;

Figi. 2 is a detail section taken on line 2 2 of Fis'. i l

Fig. 3 is a detail view taken on line 3 3 of Fis. 2, and showing parts broken away to more fully reveal details of construction;

Fia. i isa detail section taken on line ll--ll of Fis. 2;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to that of Fig. 2 showing a modified form oi trim vention; and Y Fis. 6 is a fragmentary elevation taken on line S-e of Fig. 5, and showing parts broken away to more fully reveal details of construction.

Like reference characters denote iike parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In Fig. i is'shown a refrigerator Ib of the y household type 'comprising a cabinet li having a doorway i2 and a door i3. The trim strip con struction is shown applied to the cabinet il around the doorway i2.

in the form of the invention shown in Figs. i to 4, the cabinet il comprises an outer metal panel it and an'inner metal liner iS, separated by blocks of suitable insulating material il. The outer panel i5 has a section i8, bent inward substantially at right angles to the main side body section is thereof to form the front lface of the cabinet il bordering the doorway i2, and terminates in an inturned rim flange 2l serving as a shoulder for one side of a breaker or trim strip 22 to be more fully described. The inner liner it terminates in an outward rim ilang'e 23 extending substantially -in co-plana-r relation'- ship with respect to the rim flange 2l, and serv-- ing as the shoulder for the other side oi the trim strip 22.

Extending between the two panels i5 andi adjacent the rim angesvZl and 23 thereof and holding said panels in spaced relationship is a member 2t connected to said anges by fastening means shown in the form of screws 25 passing through the rim ange 2i and screws 28 passing through the rim nange 23. Member 24 may 55 strip embodying the in be made of wood or of plastic and may be in the form of a frame or a series of spaced cross braces.

Mounted between the two panels I5 and IB are the breaker or trim strips 22 made from suitable insulating plastic materia1 such as hard rubber or synthetic resin, each having a uniform cross-section throughout its length so that it can be made by the process of extrudingthe plastic material through -a die. Four of these extruded plastic strips are shown framed around the doorway i2 and interconnected by suitable corner pieces 20 to complete the doorway frame.

In order to secure the inner side section of the trim strip 22 against. the rim ange 23, the edge of said side' section has an inturned lip 21, forming with the main web or body section 28 of the strip a recess for the retention of the edge sections 29 oi two or more spring clips or catches 30, spaced along said rim flange. Each spring clip 30 has a main body section 3i supported against the ri-m ilange 23 and secured thereto by one of` the screws 26 which supports the member 24. The spring clip 30 is made of spring 4plate metal with its edge section 29 offset outward from its main hat body section v3l to per., mit said edge section to be yieldably flexed.

For securing the other outer side section of the trimstrip 22 against the rim ange 2i, the edge of said side section is provided with an inturned rib or lip 32. A rib 33, formed integral with the inner tace of the strip 22 and spaced from the lip 32 is bent towards said lip to form therewith A and with the main web section of the strip an undercut 'channel extending the full 'length of said strip. The lip 32 and the rib 33, serving as intumed side flanges of the channel, retain therebetween and in said channel a metal holding strip or plate 3l supporting a series of snap fasteners 2B spaced therealong. Each snap fastener 35 is adapted to pass through a pair of aligned openings` 38 and 31 formed in the rim iiange 2i and frame member 24 respectively. The openings 31 on the member 24 are of larger area than that ofthe rim flange openings 36 to permit expension of thefasteners 3l in said openings 31 as will be more fully described.

Each of4 the snap fasteners 35 is shown com.. prising a split sleeve 38 having an enlarged outer end 40 and a fiat head 4i having its rim reversely bent to receive the iianged inner ends oi.' the two sleeve sections.` The two parts of the sleeve end 40 are tapered so that they are automatically cammed together as they slide through their respective rim ilange opening 38 upon application c! axial pressure to the head Il. After inteners retained between said holding strip andthe main web or body section of the trim strip 22. The spacing between these snap fasteners l5 corresponds to the spacing between the rim flange openings 38 for alignment during assembly.

The inturned ribs or lips 21 and 32, and the rib 33 on the trim strip 22 serve not only to fasten said strip in position as described, but also serve to impart substantial rigidity to said strip against bending or warping. If desired, a further strengthening rib Il may be provided integral with the inner face of the trim strip 22, and formed simultaneously with the inturned lips 21 and 32 and the rib .33 during the extrusion process of manufacture.

In assembling the trim strip 22, the holding strip 34 with thesnap fasteners supported thereon is first slipped into the channel between the lip 32 and the rib 32 in predetermined longitudinal position corresponding to the position of the rim flange openings 36. The holding strip 34 will be frictionally retained-in this longitudinal position during the remaining-assembling operation. The inturned rib 21 on the inner side of the trim strip 22 is then hooked over the offset edge sections 28 of the spring clips 30, and said strip pushed inward towards the member 24 to insert the snap fasteners $5 through the respective rim flange openings 38, and in the latched position shown in the drawing. These openings 36 are desirably so positioned as to require a pull on the trim strip 22 away from the spring clips 30 and against the spring action of said clips to align the snap fasteners with their respective openings 3B. When the trim strip 22 is released after the assembling operation described, the snap fasteners 35 will be spring pressed against the inner sides of their respective rim flange openings by the action of the spring clips 30 so tlliat said strip will be supported firmly against D ay. Y

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, instead .of providing fasteners ll, a strip or plate escasas 5I provided with snap members Il for latch engagement with the rim flange 2l is retained between ribs 32a and 23a of the extruded plastic trim strip 22a. The ribs 32a and Ila are so formed as to hold the main body section l2 of the strip l0 against the inner face of the trim strip 22a. The strip I0. made of spring plate metal, has tongue sections bent or stamped out of the planeof the main body section l2 thereof to form the snap members Il. Each of these tongue sections M is sinuously bent to present at itsL free end a convex curved section I4 to the inner edge of the corresponding rim flange opening 36a.

The rim flange openings lla are shown of oblong formation, and the recesses or openings 31a. of the member 24a aligned therewith are also of oblong conformation but of larger area to permit latch movement of the snap tongues 8| therein.

The assembling of the trim strip 22a is effected in a manner similar to that described with reference to the construction of Figs. l to 5. Foi that purpose, the strip ll is first slipped between the ribs 32a and 33a of the trim strip 22a for frictional retention therein. The rib '21 is then hooked over the spring clips III and the strip 22a pushed towards the connecting member 24a to latch the tongues BI into their respective rim flange openings 38a.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a refrigerator cabinet wall structure having inner and outer panels secured in spaced relation, a trim strip of substantially rigid thermal insulating material bridging the space between said panels, said trim strip having longitudinal ribs on its undersurface, one of said ribs being formed for hooked engagement with holding meansl on a flange of one of said panels for securing one edge of the trim strip in place, another pair of said ribs forming between them an undercut channel, and a series of snap fastening elements slidably held in said channel, a flange of the other of said panels having a corresponding series of fastening elements which cooperates with said first series for securing the other edge of the trim strip in place.

CARL H. NAUERT. 

